Why We Walk

Walking in the Fight Stroke Walk celebrates the lives of those who have been touched by stroke.

We walk for those who cannot walk beside us.

We walk because stroke is preventable & treatable.

We walk to further stroke education & awareness in Santa Clara County.

Where Your Funds Go

All funds raised for the 4th Annual Fight Stroke Walk stay here locally to improve stroke education in Santa Clara County, increasing the likelihood that your family, friends and loved ones will have better, stronger outcomes should they experience a stroke.

Certification and re-certification – We support Santa Clara County stroke centers and their progress by working with local hospital administrators and medical staff in their re-certification and outreach efforts.

Data – We regularly monitor hospital and county EMS data to measure our success– recent EMS data indicates that our community is reaping benefits from the traction we have gained. Tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA) can restore blood flow and improve the chances of escaping disability. tPA is the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the acute treatment of ischemic stroke. We also measure the achievement of our programs by the increased number of certified stroke centers and redirection programs. We now have 50 regional stroke centers in California. 27 of California’s 58 counties have EMS stroke protocols.

Community education – We offer presentations and educational material detailing prevention, risk and the signs and symptoms of stroke. Through lectures, health fairs, and community events we are able to provide and distribute stroke information to 50,000 people annually. SAF established the first annual Stroke Walk in 2012. We have raising nearly $200,000 and will host our 3rd annual Stroke Walk on May 4, 2014.

EMS training – We facilitate and provide ongoing services and resources to ensure that the training of Santa Clara County paramedics and other emergency personnel takes place regularly.

Media outreach – We produce educational materials for media publications and distribution at our events. We collaborate annually with more than 20 community partners and will produce our 7th annual, 12-page informational insert in the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, as well as our 8th annual full-page advertisement in the San Jose Mercury News highlighting community stroke events during the month of May. SAF has built an extremely successful partnership with our local American Red Cross enabling it’s FAST medical team to perform more than 3,500 blood pressure readings and stroke consultations at 71 local events. We have also partnered with Genentech and other stroke stakeholders to develop and launch core materials that will achieve a consistent national stroke message.

Research–We promote stroke research and regenerative therapies, as well as support the activities of existing programs dedicated to prevention efforts.